To be more specific, 20% of all media consumption between the ages of 8-18 is done on portable media-cell phones, iPods and handheld video games. Interestingly, children spend more time consuming media on their cell phones than actually talking on them1. One of the featured students on the Profiles of Generation M2 video explained, she’d rather text than talk to her friends on the phone2.

Perhaps most importantly, the study revealed that parents have a major influence on their children’s media use. For example, children whose parents limit their media use (by setting household rules) do, in fact, spend less time with media than their peers. They also go on to do better in school than their peers. In other words, if parents get involved in their kids’ media consumption, their kids will be better off in the long run. At the event, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski remarked on the importance of parental involvement, saying, "We need to empower parents so they understand the challenges and the rewards associated with media consumption by kids."2

We encourage all parents to take an active role in your child’s media consumption.